Join freelance producer (and rollercoaster driver!), Sophie Ashkanasy, in this introductory Spark Session on Producing vs Production Management!

Producers and Production Managers sound like very big important jobs, but what are they? And what is the difference?

A producer is responsible for overseeing all areas of a project, with a particular focus on logistics, finance, people management and external relationships. Their primary responsibility is ‘bums on seats’ - making a project happen. A producer may also be a production company or ‘host’ of a show.

A production manager (PM) is responsible for the management of people within the creative, design and production teams. Often, a production manager and producer share responsibilities, including:

Creating a production schedule for use across multiple teams
Facilitating and organising production meetings
Assist with onboarding and recruiting people for involvement in a project

In this 2-hour Spark Session, you’ll learn about these two roles in more depth, the qualities required to be a producer or PM, and some key tips to managing people and strengthening your leadership skills.

About Sophie

Sophie is a Producer, Production Manager, Stage Manager and rollercoaster driver. She predominantly works with the award-winning ensemble Bloomshed, and with Monash University in the Sir Zelman Cohen School of Music and Performance as a Production Manager and mentor. Her recent credits include; ‘Animal Farm’ (Bloomshed/Platform Arts/Theatre Works), ‘The Market Is A Wind-up Toy’ (Bloomshed/Theatreworks/Melbourne Fringe), ‘The Nose’ (Bloomshed/Blue Room Theatre/FringeWorld), ‘UnWoman’ (The Rabble/The Substation/Due West), ‘Q’ (La Mama), ‘Take Me To Your Leader’ (Born In A Taxi/CTPA/MAPA), ‘We Are Air’ (CTP/MAPA), ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ (MUST), ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (MSC), ‘Pining For Affection: A Tree Musical ‘(Marshall and Marrows Productions), ‘Almost, Maine’ (Between The Buildings) and ‘Legally Blonde: The Musical’ (MCSS).

Health and Safety

We strongly recommend you wear a mask, maintain a distance of 1.5 metres, and practice good hygiene when attending workshops in STF Spark Series.